The Rotary Club of Wausau began celebrating 100 years of service to the Wausau
area during its centennial year in 2015—and the party just concluded this afternoon with a presentation of a new sculpture to the City of Wausau. The artwork is located on the River Edge Walkway behind and just north of the Marathon County Library. Rotary Club members, donors to the project and city officials met at 1 p.m. today for a dedication ceremony.

Created by Keith Kaziak, a native of Wausau and now teaching sculpture at the University of Notre Dame, the sculpture is titled, “Passage.” It depicts a large bronze wheel symbolizing both an industrial wheel that helped build the Wausau community and the Rotary International logo.

The wheel stands above a bronze replica of the Wisconsin River flowing over native Wausau Ruby Red Granite. “This sculpture represents the many past and current contributions local Rotarians have made in the Wausau community by helping others,” said Kelly Fischer, who oversaw the sculpture project along with fellow Rotarian Rosemary Barnes and other club members. “For more than 100 years, our local Rotary Club members have committed themselves to the Rotary motto,
“Service Above Self,” and we are delighted to honor a century of their efforts with this beautiful new artwork along the River Edge Walkway.”

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Ninety-eight local families will each receive a $50 food gift card before Christmas
thanks to The Rotary Club of Wausau who helped raise $4,900 for the United Way of Marathon County Hunger Coalition during the past three weeks. The gift cards were presented this morning at Hawthorn Hills, Grant and Franklin elementary schools to Wausau School District social workers, who will distribute them to selected families in need.

“Our club goal was to help 80 families,” said project chair, Patrick Bradley. “Thanks to the generosity of our members, a matching donation from the Hunger Coalition, and plenty of Christmas spirit, we are able to help 98 families enjoy the holidays even more.”

The $50 gift cards can be used to purchase any food items at local stores.

The Rotary Club of Wausau has been a longtime supporter of United Way’s Hunger Coalition through its HungerPlus-Marathon County program and has contributed over $90,000 since 2011. United Way’s Hunger Coalition’s mission is to increase awareness, eliminate hunger and promote programs of self-sufficiency in Marathon County.

The Rotary Club of Wausau and the City of Schofield dedicated a new $25,000 handicapped-accessible kayak/canoe launch and “Rotary Landing” at 12:30
p.m. Monday and officially opened up the Lower Eau Claire River Water Trail and Eau
Claire Conservancy to the Great Pinery Heritage Waterway at Lake Wausau. Named “Rotary Landing at Drott Street,” funding and installation of the new launch and take-out site was a collaborative effort of The Rotary Club of Wausau, the City of Schofield and the Wausau and Marathon County Parks and Recreation Foundation. The new
kayak/canoe launch conforms with American Disability Act requirements—making it
easier to launch a kayak or canoe for those with disabilities and for older paddlers.

“The Rotary Club of Wausau is extremely proud to have participated in this exciting
project,” said Denis Tan, club president. “The ‘Rotary Landing at Drott Street’ will help
residents and tourists of all ages and physical abilities enjoy scenic kayak or canoe trips on the lower Eau Claire River and the Great Pinery Heritage Waterway for many years to come.”

Bill Bertram, president of the Wausau and Marathon County Parks and Recreation
Foundation, helped Rotary members and City of Schofield officials dedicate “Rotary
Landing” Monday afternoon. “ The Parks Foundation had always envisioned a launch at this key connection point between the Lower Eau Claire River Water Trail and the Great Pinery Heritage Waterway at Lake Wausau, “ he said. “And we cannot thank enough--both the Rotary Club of Wausau and City of Schofield-- for their efforts to make this one of the special spots on the trail. This opens a truly beautiful piece of water for paddlers throughout the Midwest within the heart of Schofield.”

The new kayak/canoe launch and takeout is located next to the historic Brooks and
Ross Dam where the City of Schofield began. The Great Pinery Heritage Waterway
includes 108 miles of the Wisconsin River from Oneida County to Lake DuBay and
connects to the Lower Eau Claire River and Lower Rib River.

 

The Rotary Club of Wausau has awarded $1,000 scholarships to five Wausau area senior high school students who demonstrated outstanding leadership and volunteered many hours of service at their schools and in their communities. Recipients of these scholarships may use them at any accredited, post-secondary educational entity to help further their tertiary education.

 

The scholarship recipients are:

1. Natalie Townsend – Newman Catholic High School
2. Braelyn Beiler—DCE High School
3. Caitlin Woller— DCE High School
4. Karianna Severson— Newman Catholic High School
5. Amber Frostman—Wausau West High School

 

“These students have taken on many leadership roles in and out of school--and displayed exemplary dedication to helping others by volunteering in their communities,” said John Townshend, Rotary Club of Wausau Scholarship Chair. “Leadership and volunteerism are the foundation of Rotary International as captured in the Rotary motto: Service Above Self.”

In 2019, Grace Stanke, a local Wausau West High School student, received one of five $1,000 scholarships from The Rotary Club of Wausau and enrolled at UW-Madison. Today, she’s the reigning Miss America and the recipient of a $50,000 scholarship from the Miss America organization.  Stanke, a senior at UW-Madison majoring in nuclear engineering, will speak to the Rotary Club on Monday, March 6, to share her four-year journey since leaving Wausau and her thoughts about clean energy.  Also in attendance will be 10 local high school seniors being honored by the club as Uthrotors based on the leadership and volunteerism they have demonstrated.      

 

Each spring, The Rotary Club of Wausau awards $1,000 scholarships to five Wausau metro area high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and volunteered many hours of service at their schools and in their communities. Recipients of these scholarships may use them at any accredited, post-secondary educational entity to help further their tertiary education. Applications for 2023 scholarships are being reviewed now, and scholarships will be awarded at the end of the school year. More information about Rotary Club of Wausau scholarships is available at www.wausaurotary.org

 

“Students receiving Rotary Club scholarships, like Grace, have taken on many leadership roles in and out of high school--and displayed exemplary dedication to helping others by volunteering in their communities,” said John Townshend, Rotary Club of Wausau Scholarship Chair. “Our club members are looking forward to hearing about Grace’s exciting journey after we presented her with a Rotary scholarship four years ago.”

 

Since its scholarship program began more than 35 years ago, the Rotary Club of Wausau has distributed more than $100,000 in scholarships to area high school seniors.

 

 

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Rotarian Debi Traeder received the Rotary District 6220 Avenues of Service Award from Rotary District Gov. Dave Anderson today.

 

"It is always important to take time to recognize individuals for their efforts they put in. Whether it’s at a workplace or in the community, it is always good to let someone know, and thank them for the work they have done," said Denis Tan, Club President.

 

Debi has been a member of our club since 1995. To earn the districts’ Avenues of Service Award, the Rotarian needs to fulfill in 5 areas. Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service and Youth Service. Debi has earned recognition in all these service areas.

 

Taken the role of Club Secretary since 2007, achieved EREY since 2004, District Trainer 2015-16, sponsored more than 10 members. Believed to be the longest standing club secretary in District 6220.

 

In every community project, whether is bell ringing for the Salvation Army, Highway Clean-Up, Setting up for our Environmental Days, Debi has helped to coordinate and organize volunteers to participate in service activities.

 

Pints for Polio, Guatemala Water Project, Debi has helped in these activities.

 

Debi’s passion is suicide prevention. That’s her life’s top priority, helping others cope with depression and so much more. She’s advocated the need for more efforts for suicide prevention, facilitate trainings, and educated law enforcement and the community. She’s also spoken at several civic organizations and continues to be a lifeline for members of the community.

 

Debi has always stepped up to help facilitate Rotary Exchange Students, share about our Club’s scholarship program with High School Seniors, and continues to play a major role in all activities.

 

For all these, Debi was commended for her work. Congratulations Debi. This is a well-earned, well-deserved award. Keep up the great work you do for Rotary and for our community.